Off The Beaten Path: 10 National Parks Hidden Gems

Thinking of visiting one of the National Parks for your summer vacation? Why not take the road less traveled? Get off the beaten path and explore some of the least-visited National Parks in the country. You will find soaring vistas, untouched landscapes, and extraordinary natural beauty. And in most cases, you’ll have it all to yourself!

What to do there:

There are no roads or trails in the park. Visitors must be self-sufficient: take precautions and plan ahead.

3. Lake Clark

Location:

Southern Alaska.

What’s there:

Mountainous terrain includes the active volcano Mount Redoubt.

Glacier-fed rivers, lakes (including Lake Clark) and waterfalls.

Salmon run from Bristol Bay.

Salmon-hunting brown bears.

Temperate rainforests along the Cook Inlet.

A tundra plateau on the western side.

Three mountain ranges.

What to do there:

Backcountry hiking, camping, backpacking, kayaking and boating.

No roads lead to the park. Arrive by boat or floatplane.

There is one maintained hiking trail, the Tanalian Trail.

Visit the Richard Proenneke Historic Site: a must-see for fans of the television documentary Alone in the WIlderness about Proenneke’s life of solitude in the wild.

What is a National Monument?

A National Monument is a protected area in the United States. Similar to National Parks, National Monuments are created from any federal land by proclamation of the President. Well-known examples include Devils Tower in Wyoming and the Statue of Liberty.

4. Isle Royale

Location:

The furthest point west in Michigan (the nearest city is Thunder Bay, Ontario).

What’s there:

Isle Royale is the largest island in Lake Superior.

It is actually made up of 400 smaller islands.

There are several shipwrecks within the park’s boundaries.

The area is known for its wolf and moose populations.

The island is a designated UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, or protected ecosystem.

What to do there:

Hiking: The Greenstone Ridge Trail runs 40 miles from one end of the park to the other. There are a total of 165 miles of trails within the park.